Proove Biosciences, a formerly high-flying genetic testing firm whose science and business practices have been challenged by experts and former employees, has been placed into court-ordered receivership for “restructuring and asset sale,” according to the company’s founder and former CEO.

Proove’s founder, Brian Meshkin, said…he no longer works at Proove, which rang up $28 million in revenue last year. Meshkin blamed the company’s fall on investigative articles published by STAT last December and February. Those articles quoted experts who expressed deep doubts about the company’s scientific claims1 that it could predict a patient’s likelihood of becoming addicted to opioids.

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Proove’s genetic tests were ordered by hundreds of doctors, many of whom were promised “research fees” in exchange for participating in the company’s clinical studies. Many doctors enrolled their patients in studies, but were never paid.

Former employees have told STAT that Proove representatives working in private doctors’ offices coerced patients to take unneeded tests for sensitivity to opioids or opioid abuse in an effort to boost company revenues. The former employees also said test results were routinely falsified to make it appear that patients benefited from the testing.